The training developed by the FSW project draws on reminiscence tools and the seniors’ own artistic skills. The therapeutic function is based on expressive arts as a medium through which individuals can process complex emotions. Photo: Victoria Berman on Unsplash.
The training developed by the FSW project draws on reminiscence tools and the seniors’ own artistic skills. The therapeutic function is based on expressive arts as a medium through which individuals can process complex emotions. Photo: Victoria Berman on Unsplash.
Carlo Smaldone Villani of the Italian NGO Prometeo discusses his insights from the FSW project, which develops activities to help social workers work with seniors. The key lies in the arts, he says.
The goal of our Future Social Workers (FSW) project is to develop innovative face-to-face training to help social workers mitigate the negative effects of isolation on seniors. Additionally, the training supports artists, who have also been affected by the pandemic, by involving them in the training.
“Through artistic expression, seniors gain heightened self-awareness and a restored sense of empowerment,” says Carlo Smaldone Villani, President of Prometeo. Photo: Francesca Pastorino Smaldone Villani.
FSW is a combined art and health project exploring the link between memories, creativity and well-being. The Care-Arts training developed by the project uses reminiscence tools and the seniors’ own artistic skills. It is a social laboratory based on informal learning, with its methodology based on expressive arts such as photography, visual art, music and theatre.
The project, which started in December 2022 and ends in November 2024, is funded by Erasmus+.
My personal goal is to build a series of tools that can help social workers help the elderly, who have suffered the consequences of the pandemic. I believe that there are suitable technologies that are easy to use and suitable for every context and place.
The biggest achievement has been the development of a laboratory-based activity, Care-Arts training, centred on expressive arts. This serves a twofold objective related to seniors.
First, it has a therapeutic function, as it is based on the inherent value of expressive arts as a medium through which individuals can externalise and process complex emotions, particularly those associated with feelings of social disconnectedness commonly experienced among seniors.
Secondly, it helps to cultivate a positive narrative to foster collaborative environment. Through collective engagement in artistic expression, seniors are offered the opportunity to recognise and benefit from communal bonds, thereby redefining their experiences of isolation within a framework of shared experience and solidarity.
It is important to recognise that the benefits extend beyond the mere tangible output of artistic creations. Rather, the true measure of its impact lies in the shifts in participants’ perspectives and sense of agency. Through active participation in the expressive arts process, seniors undergo a transformative journey characterised by newfound insights, heightened self-awareness and a restored sense of empowerment.
As to the concrete results, we have produced a “Social Workers Training Manual” and we’re realising a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for social workers in English, Italian and Lithuanian.
In Lithuania, the manual was tested in the laboratory with participants from Alytus University of the Third Age. Social workers used the manual to make the activities more interesting and useful for seniors, always aimed at strengthening interpersonal relations between participants. Our future aim is to adapt the material for people with health and mental problems.
Also, the insights of the seniors at the Anykščiai care house were very important for planning the activities. The habits and needs of the community members were gathered in an event where musicians were also invited, and social workers got to know the seniors better.
The biggest challenge is to ensure the accessibility of the handbook “Social Workers Training Manual” in different countries and social work contexts. While efforts have been made to incorporate a breadth of perspectives and experiences, there is still a need for ongoing adaptation and refinement to accommodate the evolving landscape of social work practice.
Additionally, the sustainability of the manual’s impact hinges upon effective dissemination and utilisation within the community and beyond.
One limitation is linguistic. It is now written only in English, and additionally in Lithuanian and Italian, representing the two countries involved in the project.
The most joyous moment was the realisation of the social workers’ manual. The joy derived from this endeavour stemmed from its overarching purpose: to standardise and enhance the training of social workers within the community.
The prospect of empowering social workers with the requisite knowledge and skills to address complex societal challenges is gratifying. It heralds the potential for tangible improvements in the lives of individuals and communities served by these professionals.
The exhaustive research journey, characterised by literature reviews, consultations with practitioners, and analysis of international best practices, has been a demanding operation.
The content of the manual, including both theoretical foundations and practical application, equips social workers with the tools necessary for success with seniors in their roles. The inclusion of interactive elements such as real-world scenarios enhance the manual’s effectiveness.
The biggest surprise has been the depth of engagement of diverse stakeholders within the community. Initially conceived as a response to a recognised need for standardisation and enhancement of social work training, the project exceeded my expectations by eliciting a partner’s participation.
Loreta Kačiušytė, President of Saulès Stygos, Jūratė Useliene, expert in art therapy, Francesca Pastorino Smaldone Villani, vice president of Prometeo, and Carlo Smaldone Villani met at a transnational project meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, in spring 2024. Photo: Francesca Pastorino Smaldone Villani.
The collective passion and commitment served to enrich the content and scope of the manual, ensuring its relevance and applicability within broader social work contexts. This surprise affirmed the belief that a significant change is most effectively achieved through collaborative labour that harness the wisdom and resources of diverse stakeholders.
The wildest wish is to publish the manual and the main results of the project in the main European languages, in order to spread information on the projects’ results.
We hope to open a debate about the possible therapeutical use of art in helping seniors and people affected by loneliness and depression. We need to have a different international professional status for these social workers and a wider effect for seniors.
The worst fears? There is still a lot to do in Italy, in Lithuania and in all EU countries about the seniors’ status, as society sees them as no longer productive. This is a stigma that should be removed. Not being able to reach this objective is my worst fear.
Also, I fear missing the opportunity to benefit from new discoveries in neuroscience that show the positive impact of using arts as a unique non-pharmaceutical tool to improve people’s mental health. Consequently, the transfer of this knowledge to social workers, who, working directly with older people, can be equipped with new tools and possibilities for their work.
This article is part of the theme ‘Inclusion and Adult Education 2024’.
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